Too often found among Men of Science.

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Chap. 16.]

scientific men should have lent their example, to sustain distinctions thatare a curse to the world. This conduct of theirs, perhaps more than anyother cause, tends to uphold despotism on the earth. Of their influence inthis respect, modern despots are fully aware, and which they evince bytheir anxiety to enlist in their train, every man eminent in any departmentof the arts or of Science ; and many of these, it is to be deplored, they toooften tickle with a feather, or amuse with a trinket, wbile they put a bridlein their lips and yoke them to their cars.

The lust after titles and distinctions, incident to monarchical govern-ments, is in the political and moral world, what the scrofula, or ‘ king’sevil’ is in the physical : It destroys the healthy and natural Organizationof society, taints its fairest features with hereditary disease, and rendersthe whole corrupt. The wisdom of the fathers of our republic was notmore conspicuous than their virtue, when they denounced such titles anddistinctions as forever incompatible with the Constitution . Sweep themfrom the earth and man in the eastern hemisphere would become a regene-raled being. Nations would no longer be kept in commotion and dread,nor their resources be consumed by political and military gladiators ; norwould the abominable boast of one people in conquering and plunderinganother be deemed creditable ; but when peace and virtue, Science andthe arts, would alone confer honor, and their most distinguished cultivatorsbe deemed the most noble.

Plato was no worshipper of Dionysius, nor Solon of Croesus ; andwhen the talented büt unprincipled Archelaus of Macedon, drew numer-ous philosophers around him, by his wealth and the honors he conferredon them, Socrates refused even to visit him as long, said he, as breadwas cheap and water plenty at Athens.

Although the ancient world confirmed the name given to one of theconstellations by Conon , the modern one refused to sanction a similar at-tempt to designate the remotest planet in our System, after the name of aking who was remarkable for his lack of intelligenee—a bigot—and who, topreserve his prerogative, shed blood as water. Yet to that man, and tobis son and successor, who, if he pössessed more intelligenee than the pa-rent, was the grossest sensualist of the age, and contact with whom waspollution, did some of the votaries of Science kneel as to 1 the fountainsof honor!’ and (o receive a portiön of it at their hands ! while a me-chanic, to whose glory it will ever be mentioned, could duly appreciatethe offered bauble and reject it, if not with disdain. James Watt , the ma-thematical instrument maker of Glasgow , the great improver of the steam-engine, who conferred more benefits on his country than all the monarchsthat ever ruled over it, and all the statesmen and warriors which it everproduced—refused a title. And who ever regretted that Milton was nota knight, or Shakespeare a marquis, or Franklin a lord ; or that some ofthe greatest poets and philosophers, philanthropists and mechanicians, thatever lived, are known to us simply as such, without having had theirnames bolstered up with preposteröus appendagesl And who ever sup-posed they were less happy without them, less vigoroüs and successful intheir researches; less respected by cöntemporaries, or less revered byposterity 1

Long after these remarks were written, M. Arago’s Memoir of Watt,reached this country, and on perusing it, we could not but smile at the dis-appomtment expressed by the great French philosopher, that his friendwas not made a peer. “ When I inquired into the cause of this neglect,|he observes,] what think you was the response 1 Those dignities ofwhich you speak, I was told, are reserved for naval and military officers ;

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